Disney CEO Bob Iger accidentally reveals how many Disney Plus users opted into the ad tier: ‘I don’t know if I was supposed to make those numbers public’
The total number of Disney Plus ad-supported users has been accidentally revealed – and none other than Disney chief Bob Iger is behind the leak.
Yesterday (November 14th) Disney released its Earnings report 4th quarter 2024 before it held its final earnings call of the year. During the latter, Iger inadvertently confirmed how many people had signed up for Disney Plus’ ad subscription, with Disney’s CEO later suggesting he didn’t mean to put his foot in it.
In response to a Wall Street Journal analyst’s question about Disney’s growth prospects for its flagship streaming platform, Iger said (as reported by Term) that 37% of US-based Disney Plus users signed up for the cheapest subscription tier. In total, about 30% of the streamer’s global fanbase currently has an ad-supported account, Iger added.
OK, Iger didn’t reveal any specific numbers as part of his answer. But using the above percentages and the total number of paid subscribers revealed in Disney’s Q4 2024 earnings report, it’s easy to calculate how many people have signed up for one of the most affordable streaming services in the world. In the US, 56 million people use Disney Plus, meaning about 20.7 million (37% of 56 million) have opted in to the ad tier. The platform has 122.7 million people worldwide, which amounts to 36.8 million (30% of 122.7 million) total users.
For context, Netflix recently revealed – via Term – that 70 million people have signed up for the ad-based tier. While that figure is almost twice the size of Disney Plus’ user base in terms of advertising, Netflix’s total fan base is 282.7 million. So the percentage of users signed up for the cheapest program only accounts for about 25% of the global fan base.
Regardless, Iger’s mistake was a rare mistake on his part – and one he was not allowed to reveal to the assembled press and investors. As the conversation continued, Deadline quotes Iger – during a hot mic moment – as saying: “I don’t know if I was supposed to make that AVOD public [advertising-based video on demand] “Maybe not, Mr. Iger, but we’ll use any insight into the inner workings of an entertainment giant whenever we can.
Despite Iger’s mistake, the three-month period from July to October was pretty fantastic for Disney as a whole. On the streaming front, the world-renowned company has added 4.4 million new users to Disney Plus’ global fanbase and an additional 900,000 people on sister streamer Hulu. Meanwhile, Disney racked up huge theatrical wins at the global box office, with Deadpool and Wolverine And Inside out 2 grossing over $1 billion each. The powerhouse duo also recently joined our new Disney Plus movie guide, so you can watch them at home if you missed them on the big screen.
Despite these money-grubbing triumphs, Disney isn’t getting into the pre-festive seasonal spirit and is freezing the price of Disney Plus around the world. In mid-September, the entertainment titan increased streaming subscription fees across the board, with Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus all receiving price increases in mid-October.
With Disney Plus’s password policy also in full effect, plus the introduction of a Disney Plus password sharing fee – essentially, how much it will cost you to grant access to Disney Plus to someone who doesn’t live with you – it’s just gotten more expensive to have a Disney Plus account. So don’t be surprised if the percentage of people signing up for an ad-supported subscription has increased significantly when Disney releases its Q1 2025 earnings report early next year.
